Sufism & Islam

Islam originated with the teachings of the prophet Muhammad in the 7th century. The word Islam means "submission" or the total surrender of oneself to the Islamic conception of God (Arabic: Allah). An adherent of Islam is known as a Muslim, "one who submits [to God]". Muslims believe that God revealed the Qur'an to Muhammad, God's final prophet, through angel Gabriel and regard the Qur'an and the Sunnah ("words and deeds of Muhammad") as the fundamental sources of Islam. They do not regard Muhammad as the founder of a new religion, but as the restorer of the original monotheistic faith of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets.

Sufism is the inner, mystical, or psycho-spiritual dimension of Islam. The word Sufi is derived from the Arabic word suf which means 'wool', and which refers to the coarse woollen robes that were worn by the Prophet Muhammad and by his close companions. The essence of Sufi practice is surrender to God, in love, over and over; which involves embracing with love at each moment the content of one's consciousness (perceptions, thoughts, feelings, and sense of self) as gifts or manifestations of God.